'This Scares You To Death:' Wewoka Residents Concerned Over Rash Of Violence

Wewoka residents believe a rash of gun violence is the reason why a major festival was canceled and the school district went virtual.

Several viewers messaged News 9, saying they were concerned about numerous shootings that have taken place within Wewoka, including one that happened outside the Family Dollar store Thursday.

"I heard that they had a shootout over here at the dollar store, then they had another one over here on Seminole Street," said Wewoka resident Russell Chesser. "This scares you to death thinking it might happen to you one of these days walking down the road.”

Some residents said they believed the shootings were gang-related.

"They want to be gang members and they don't realize he's going to wind up in a cemetery or the penitentiary," said Wewoka resident William Shaw.

To get more details about those cases, News 9 called dispatch and left messages for the Wewoka Police Department and the Seminole Nation Lighthorse Police Department. But they did not call back as of Friday evening.

News 9 also went to the Wewoka Police Department, but the door was locked. An officer later told News 9 to contact the city manager. But City Hall had been closed since noon.

"We've heard that OSBI has been down. Lots of other organizations have been down and everyone's been quiet and no one can confirm anything," said Wewoka resident Jay Williams.

OSBI did say its agents assisted Wewoka Police at a crime scene on Sunday. However, the agency did not go into detail.

While police have not released details about the recent reports of shootings, they did confirm that about a month ago, a 21-year-old man was shot and killed at a gas station in Wewoka.

Residents said they believed the string of shootings was the reason why Wewoka's annual Sorghum Festival was canceled. It was originally slated for Saturday.

The festival announced on its Facebook page the event was canceled "due to adverse weather conditions."

"We understand the excitement and anticipation that has built up around this annual event, and we share in your disappointment," the post said. "The decision to cancel was not made lightly, but it is our responsibility to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for everyone involved. We want to express our sincere apologies to all those who have been looking forward to this year's festival. We know how much it means to the Wewoka community and beyond. We share in your sadness about this cancellation, but we believe it's the right decision given the circumstances."

However some residents said they did not buy that the festival's cancelation was weather-related.

"We all know that there's something more happening but that tells us that they're covering it up or they’re just not being outright truthful," said Williams.

News 9 called the number listed on the Sorghum Festival's Facebook page but did not hear back.

As for other changes, the Wewoka Public Schools District announced it was going virtual on Friday due to "current events." The district also said its football game was moved to Stroud.

News 9 called the district office but did not hear back.

Meanwhile, residents said they were being extra careful.

"I stay in my house at night," said Chesser. "I don't walk around no more like I used to."